Weather-strip



(No Model.)

J. L. SMITH.

l WEATHER STRIP. No. 578.273.

` Patented Maur. 2,1897

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df/y 63 'lic UNITE-D STATES l PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES L. SMITH, OF PRINCETON, INDIANA.

WEATHER-STRIP.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 578,273, dated March 2,1897.

Application filed February 14,1896. Serial No. 579,278. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES L. SMITH, acitizen of the United States,residing at Princeton, in the county of Gibson andA State of Indiana,have invented a new and useful Weather-Strip, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in weather-strips, and has forits object to provide a simple, durable, and efficient article of thenature referred to, the same being located at the door-sill and confinedbetween the threshold and carpet strips and capable of being easily andquickly removed and replaced when sweeping, the said weather-strip, whenin place, being adapted to press against the bottom edge of the doorwith a yielding pressure and to normally project above the plane of thedoor-sill and serve as a cut-off for preventing the water, dac., frompassing over the sill and obtaining access to the interior of the house.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described,illustrated in the drawings, and finally pointed out in the claim. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of asufficient portion of a door and its casing to illustrate theapplication of the present improvement. Fig. 2 is a verticalcross-section through the same. Fig. 3 is a reverse perspective View ofthe threshold-strip.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a door, and 2 thedoor casing or frame, having thesill 4.

In order to carry out the present invention, the door is provided in itsbottom edge with a longitudinal groove, corresponding in shape to orformed in the arc of a circle closely approximating that of a tubularresilient weather-strip 5. Theweather-strip 51S made from a section ofrubber tubing of a length corresponding to the width of the door or thelength of the door-sill and abuts snugly at its opposite ends againstthe jambs, so that the bore of the tube is sealed and the air containedtherein prevented from escaping.

The hollow rubber strip 5 is located exactly beneath or in the verticalplane of the door 1, and is held in place between the threshold-strip 6and the carpet-strip 7.

The threshold-strip 6 is undercut as toj its inner edge or that edgewhich abuts against the rubber weather-strip 5, thus establishing anoverhanging edge or lip 8, which bears against the weather-strip at apoint above its greatest diameter, as clearly shown in thecross-section, thus serving to hold the said weather-strip securely inplace upon that side.

The carpetstrip 7 is formed in its inner edge next to the strip 5 with alongitudinal groove 9, corresponding to the curvature of the said stripand partially embracing the same, as shown. This particular form ofgroove also establishes an overhangin g lip 10, which, taken inconnection with the lip 8, binds the weather-strip 5 in place andprevents its accidental displacement, while at the same time the saidstrip may be easily and quickly removed from its seat for the purpose ofcleaning away any dirt or other foreign matter that may haveaccumulated, or for dispensing with the said strip during the summerseason, or for any other purpose.

The threshold-strip 6 is further provided as to its under surfacewithaplurality of transversely extending drain grooves 1l, which communicate with the triangular water-space 12 between the threshold -stripand the weather-strip, and lead from thence to the outer edge of saidthreshold-strip, opening out thereat. The water that runs down thesurface of the door and the door-frame will accumulate in thewater-space 12, and will afterward flow out through the drain-grooves l1and escape.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a very simple,durable, and efficient weather-strip is obtained, and that the same maybe easily and quickly removed when desired and as easily replaced. Whenthe door is being closed, the weather-strip by reason of its resiliencywill be depressed, and after the door has been entirely closed the saidstrip will spring upward and occupy the groove in the bottom edge of thedoor and thereafter effectively exclude rain, snow, cold air, &c. Thestrip 5 acts not only by its own resiliency, but added to this is thepressure IOO of the air contained Within the tubular strip, which, Whenthe door is in the act of being closed, is compressed. A very closeContact is thus preserved between the door and strip 5, and by reason ofthe Weatherst1ip projecting above the plane of the upper surface of Jchethreshold and carpet strips it is inipossible for water, dine., to gainentrance to the interior of the house. Another advantage resides in thefact that the strip may be reversed or partially turned to present aneweading from the Water-space outward, sub- 3o Wearing or contactingsurface. On account of the saine body of air beingalways retained withinthe strip, the latter is not so liable to become frozen and inoperative.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is-

In combination, a carpet-strip having in its outer edge a coneaved seat,a resilient tubu- 2o elevated lip for engaging the upper portion 25 ofthe tubular strip and also to provide a Water-space at the side of thetubular strip, the said threshold-strip being provided on its bottoniside with transverse drain-grooves stantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES L. SMITH.

Vitnesses:

JOHN R. MoCov, WM. N. TICHENER.

